The Kickstarter page for Wildman offers a second update about Gas Powered Games' proposed evolutionary action/RPG. They respond to requests to see the game in action with Video Update #1 showing prototype gameplay and featuring Chris Taylor overcoming his camera shyness to answer further inquiries about their plans. Oddly the in-game footage is shot second-hand off a monitor, allowing us to pretend this is leaked shakycam footage of an E3 presentation or something illicit like that.

The fact that they went into hibernate mode makes me more likely to KS this. I want CT in gaming. All of my KS to date have been b/c I've supported the people based on their previous projects, and this one is no different.

I'm tempted to sign up for Kickstarter just for this game. I've liked the other games he's made, and I like his attitude. Not too keen on the caveman backdrop, but hey...future and dark ages are getting a little stale.

At first I thought this was a troll. Then I saw the news. They aren't closed (yet), but they now have very little staff to speak of.

He is a troll... A repetitive and mundane one, at that. Don't know how I hadn't ignored him before.

Anyway, as I was trying to explain, doing layoffs now is a sound business practice. Everybody is freaking out like the studio no longer exists at all and thus the Kickstarter is doomed as soon as it begins, etc. But all of those developers being laid off (at least the ones who were or were going to work on Wildman) will be re-hired if the KS campaign succeeds. How stupid does a person have to believe that CT and a few other people would be making this game on their own? Well, maybe they could take all that money and secure a few jobs for several years, but they're shooting for a March 2014 release.

Yeah, I was just commenting on what it looked like. And of course TL2 is a fantastic game, I was just hoping for a more original art style. And while I applaud him for trying something other than swords & sorcery, prehistoric doesn't appeal to me.

I'm pulling for Chris and his team. Not only do I like his games, but he always seems genuine during interviews and on camera. He seems like one of us. You can tell from my avatar that I've been a fan for 15 years.

I loved both SC 1 & 2, and am glad they're different styles of games. I have literally hundreds of hours in each (my kids love 'em too). And I'm really looking forward to Kings and Castles. Would it really take $5m to finish? Isn't it based on the SC2 engine? All they really need are units, art, and maps, right?

As for Sup Com 3, I don't care what they call it ("Total Commander?") I would just love another Chris Taylor sci-fi RTS. But seems like that is a number of years off, if ever. But that's fine, I can wait.

PoE is the 2nd coming of D2, and far surpasses it in many ways. It will dominate online ARPG playtime the same way D2 did, likely moreso as the sheep follow. Games (AAA and Indie both) rarely devise the kind of perfect formula PoE has had, so I don't expect much real competition anytime soon.

I've already been noticing more excited bleets and less doldrum baa's.

I know it pisses you guys off I'm usually right, so I applaud your attempts at happy bleets despite...

Well, yeah... They were working for Microsoft, who just shut down the project they were responsible for. That is the reason they're doing a Kickstarter. Pretty much all of that funding will be used to pay the people to continue working on this game. Rather than work on the assumption that they'll be funded and possibly end up in the hole for a month's salary for everyone, they probably decided it's best to take a break. It's not like everyone in the company died today and can never come back; they're literally a phone call away. I reckon whatever update is posted on the Kickstarter will explain basically that.

In case you don't know how this works, you don't get charged if the goal isn't met... So it's not like you're sending money straight into their bank account to cover their final expenses in the case that Wildman doesn't happen. Deciding not to pledge because of this news is exactly the wrong thing to do.

jdreyer wrote on Jan 18, 2013, 16:18:2) The gameplay also looks like TL2 with some RTS elements

You tack that on like it's an afterthought, but it seems to me that the MOBA-like skirmish aspect of War Zones is a central part of the game, and is what primarily distinguishes it from the average ARPG. It certainly will be a hell of a lot more engaging than Torchlight or Diablo, where enemies just stand around waiting for you to go over and beat on them, as you're running around the battlefield tipping the scales in your favor or leaving your troops on their own while you delve into a nearby dungeon hoping to plunder riches to put toward the war effort (provided it's still going on by the time you return).

jdreyer wrote on Jan 18, 2013, 16:18:Single player emphasis, then coop, no DRM. Unknown if it will be on Steam, but CT said he'd put the game whereever people wanted it.

He's doing all the right things, but 1) the artstyle is very TL2 and 2) The gameplay also looks like TL2 with some RTS elements3) I just don't know if I'm all that enamored with the whole prehistoric setting.

Unfortunately, you may have to beg for SC3, I think the only way this will happen is if Square Enix has them develop it since he sold off the IP. SupCom 2 isnít bad, it has good and bad, but I love the large maps and the really large scale battles this game gives you. Unfortunately SupCom 1 has a bad pathing engine that makes that game un-playable after about two hours in.

Iím hoping he gets to do Sup Com again, if this game doesnít generate some cash flow for them. It could be the end of GPG. And that would be bad. Heís one of the few dedicated game developers that wants to make really good pc games but money is always an issue.

Yes, he has had some bad press on a few of his games, but believe me that is not all his doing. I know some people are bagging on them about Age of Empires Online. But he did not develop this game. They took it over and finished it.

DemiGod that was a good game for the type of game it was. More like a trimmed down version of LOL.Space siege, blame Sega for that one, they said hereís some money; you got one year to complete it. Disgusting what Publishers do to Devs and how they get treated.

Iím going to support them, I donated to their cause. I donít want to see them go under. He does want to finish Kings and Castles, but it would cost around 5 Mill to complete that project. Money GPG does not have.

Why do I know so much, itís because Chris is a good friend of mine. so yes I will support them as much as possible.

Single player emphasis, then coop, no DRM. Unknown if it will be on Steam, but CT said he'd put the game whereever people wanted it.

He's doing all the right things, but 1) the artstyle is very TL2 and 2) The gameplay also looks like TL2 with some RTS elements3) I just don't know if I'm all that enamored with the whole prehistoric setting.